Fedora 12 kernel not syncing

kainaw · #1 3rd December 2009, 05:48 PM

I did a yum upgrade from Fedora 11 to Fedora 12. I can still use the Fedora 11 kernel just fine. When I try to boot with the Fedora 12 kernel, it failed during udev with "Kernel Panic. Not syncing. Out of memory and no killable processes."

I have no clue how to troubleshoot this problem since I cannot get the Fedora 12 kernel to any usable state. I've removed the kernel and reinstalled it multiple times. I've installed random firmware packages suggested throughout the web. I've tried to boot to console-only. Everything I do produces the same result - a kernel panic. Is there any magic trick to make the kernel stop panicking and actually boot up?

kainaw · #2 5th December 2009, 10:32 PM

It has taken a VERY long time to get anything functional. I have found that if I add "nomodeset 3" to the kernel string at boot, I can get to a command prompt. Then, I can run startx to get the GUI. I still cannot boot normally. I guess from now on I'll have to go the long way round to get Fedora to function since it appears that my computer is the only one incapable of GUI boot with Fedora>11.

sonoran · #3 6th December 2009, 01:45 AM

In cases like this it is difficult to know whether the problem stems from fedora 12 or from an only semi-successful upgrade. One way to find out would be to back up your personal stuff and then try a fresh install of f12. At least, you have some hard-won experience at getting it running.

I hesitate to suggest that you give up a functioning system, when it's possible you might have to repeat all your work to get f12 running. Maybe a wiser course would be to wait a while and see if updates improve your system, or if the problems get worse.

kainaw · #4 6th December 2009, 01:58 AM

I finally got it working. No matter how many times I've removed the nouveau driver, udev kept trying to install it somehow - causing a kernel panic. So, I just spent the last few hours learning how to blacklist nouveau. Now, it boots just fine. No previous version of Fedora insisted so heavily on using the nouveau driver (especially since I don't have it installed). This is new to Fedora 12. I now know enough to search for "Fedora 12 blacklist nouveau" and I've found tons of hits telling me that I have to blacklist nouveau or I'll get a kernel panic in Fedora 12 and it won't boot.

sonoran · #5 6th December 2009, 02:27 AM

Good work, and thanks for posting back.
From what I read here, the upgrade process has been greatly improved - so maybe it's time I updated my advice process.